The Lives of the Old North End

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North Park street is a relatively short street. Only two blocks stretching from the intersection of Cogswell and going North toward the intersections of Cunard and Agricola streets. However, it’s a street with a lot of history. One spot along this road that has always intrigued me is the parking lot located on the corner of North Park street and a tiny little lane called Armoury Place which runs alongside the Halifax Armouries, formerly called John’s Lane.

Parking lot at the corner of North Park street and Armoury Place.

In the above photo you can clearly see a granite stone wall that runs along the length of the parking lot. I notice these things when I walk around town and it always has me asking when is a parking lot more than just a parking lot?

Note: I was recently asked to become a regular contributor to the blogSpacing Atlantic. This is going to be the first in a series of posts that will be cross posted on boththeOld North End and Spacing Atlantic blogs. Welcome to everyone who is visiting from SA for the first time. I hope that you find this project interesting and informative.

Photo from 50th Anniversary Pamphlet, 1898

The great thing about living in a city is that the streetscapes of busy streets are ever-changing. One such streetscape which has grown, decayed and is being rebuilt is that of the South end of Gottingen Street in Halifax. Driving down this part of Gottingen today you see construction taking place all over with new condo buildings replacing old movie theatres and shops. One building that stands out today is the large former Vogue movie theatre building prominently situated in the middle of the block between Falkland and Cornwallis streets. What people don’t know today is that this building which has been used in some form or another as a house of amusement – besides being a movie theatre it housed a community theatre, soft-core porn theatre, gay dance club and community centre and a boxing arena – it was originally a Baptist Church.

Churches of the North End (photo source: Halifax, Nova Scotia and its Attractions, Howard & Kutsche, ca. 1902).

The North End could be defined as a city of churches. In just a few city blocks from the mid-1860s to the early decades of the 20th century there were 15 places of worship. These institution provided their communities with places to socialize as well as places to worship for much of the late 19th century. Of the 15 churches that populated this neighbourhood only three are still in active service and today only one of the steeples towers over the buildings and shops below. As the inner city changed and populations moved further North, into the West End of Halifax and/or out into Armdale, Fairview and Rockingham these congregations suffered declining attendance and for the most part closed or relocated. Today we are seeing that same trend throughout the city’s churches giving proof to the suggestion that history repeats itself. The churches of the North End:

Over the next few weeks and months we will highlight the history of each of these institutions and how the impacted the local community. The first church in our study will be the North Baptist Church which was located between Falkland and Cornwallis streets on Gottingen.